Part-time Animal Control Officer

Animal Control Officer

Archuleta County is seeking a qualified, Part Time, Animal Control Officer. Our Animal Control Officer enforces animal control laws in the County related to the protection of animals and the public.

Essential Functions:

• Enforces all state and county laws, statutes, codes, and ordinances related to animal care and control.
• Issues written warnings and citations for violations of animal control laws, verifies vaccinations, and related complaints.
• Serves summons, attends court hearings, and testifies as needed.
• Performs daily patrol for unlicensed, stray, uncontrolled, sick, injured, and/or dangerous animals. Apprehends and transports animals to the Humane Society.
• Works with Humane Society personnel regarding impounded animals and impound fees.
• Responds to and investigates complaints of barking dogs, animal bites, cruelty to animals, and related issues.
• Assists the Department of Wildlife in securing wild animals.
• Promotes responsible pet ownership via formal or informal presentations to citizens.
• Responds to questions regarding problems with various animals such as cats, bears, skunks, porcupines, etc.
• May work shifts, holidays, weekends, and on-call as needed.
• Incumbent is occasionally required to work outside normal work hours in the performance of duties.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities may be qualifying.
• Possess the highest degree of integrity and strong interpersonal skills.
• Minimum twenty-one (21) years of age, good physical condition.
• Principles and practices of program development and administration as it relates to law enforcement services.
• Education, Experience and Licenses:
• Education: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade. Associates degree or higher desirable.
• Experience: Two years of desired experience in a directly related field or in the performance of similar duties and responsibilities such as providing care or handling of animals in a veterinary office or animal shelter. Prior Animal Control or Peace Officer experience desirable.
• Licenses and Certifications: Must be at least 21 years of age upon hire. Possession of a valid Colorado Driver's License. Possession of, or ability to obtain CPR and First Aid certifications by date of hire. Mace/tear gas certificate desirable. Colorado P.O.S.T Certification desirable.

Mental Activities:

• Reasoning: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out assigned duties, ability to reason with a diversity of cultures and individuals and difficult conditions and often strong and vocal viewpoints.
• Logic: Ability to perform basic skills, including organizational and process management as well as other reports which require calculations.
• Language/Communication: Ability to communicate clearly and concisely orally and in writing, ability to establish effective working relationships with employees, other agencies and the general public, ability to communicate with others under stressful conditions.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of: Practices, methods, and objectives as related to patrol, animal control, handling and apprehending animals, and investigation. Scope and application of laws, ordinances, and regulations pertaining to animal control. Dog breeds and a wide variety of other animals such as cats, livestock, birds, snakes, skunks, raccoons, fox, coyote, and bears and animal behaviors.
• Ability to/Equipment Used: Operate of a variety of equipment used in animal control including, but not limited to, vehicles, control sticks, jab poles, muzzles, leashes, mace, traps, and capture cages. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with other County employees, representatives of other agencies and organizations, and members of the community. Provide professional customer service to clients and public. Communicate clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing. Operate and communicate on two-way radios. Pass a random drug and alcohol testing.

Physical Demands:

• Ability to read and understand written documents, maps, legal documents, and/or related materials as required for the performance of the job. Requires frequent use of fingers and hands and manual dexterity to operate vehicles, two-way radios, firearms, and a variety of equipment required to capture, control, and transport animals. Auditory requirements sufficient to hear signals and two-way radios.
• Requires sufficient hearing and speech ability to communicate verbally in response to inquiries, complaints, and to receive/exchange directions/instructions.
• Requires frequent moderate lifting/carrying (up to 49 pounds) and occasional heavy lifting/carrying (50 pounds and over) of supplies, equipment, and/or animals. Requires constant driving, frequent standing, sitting, pushing/pulling, bending/stooping, twisting, kneeling, and squatting, and occasional running.
• Work is conducted indoors, in a vehicle, and outdoors. Requires ability to continuously operate a vehicle in all types of weather conditions.